Telecoms firm Orange has launched its vrey own App Shop, which is available now for over-the-air downloads to around one million customers in the UK and France.
The App Shop serves up a total of 5,000 applications, games, ringtones and wallpapers (we’re not sure how that’s broken down in terms of apps) – a figure that will no doubt grow swiftly.
Orange has pledged to work with developers and content providers to pack more goodies into its catalogue and deliver thousands of new applications running on Java, Android, Blackberry, Symbian and Windows Mobile.
Accessed from a mobile’s home screen, the App Shop integrates existing services such as Orange TV, Orange Games and Orange Maps with the company promising “premium” mobile apps from third-party developers pronto.
Conveniently, apps will be charged to a user’s Orange mobile bill, so there’s no need to start faffing about with credit card details.
From January next year, the Nokia 6700 and the Sony Ericsson W995 phones will come with the App Store preloaded, with Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola and RIM handsets following later in the year.
Orange will continue to roll-out its App Shop in Spain, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, Slovakia, Belgium, Austria, Moldova and Portugal next year.
